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The Impact of Trade and Economic Growth on the Environment: Revisiting the Cross-Country Evidence

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Author Info
Awudu Abdulai
Linda Ramcke
Abstract

This paper explores the interrelations between economic growth, international trade and environmental degradation both theoretically and empirically. Panel data from developed and developing countries for the period of 1980 to 2003 is used and previous critique, especially on the econometric specification, is embedded. In particular, it is not assumed that there is a single link for all countries. Several environmental factors and one sustainability indicator are analyzed for the full sample, regions and income groups. The results indicate that there is an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for most pollutants, but with several reservations. None of the various hypotheses that concern the link between trade and environmental degradation can be entirely confirmed. If anything, there is modest support for the Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH). In addition, there are signs that trade liberalization might be beneficial to sustainable development for rich countries, but harmful to poor ones. However, a sustainable development path is particularly important for developing countries, as the poor are most exposed and vulnerable to the health and productivity losses associated with a degraded environment. Given that developing countries do not usually have the institutional capacities to set up the appropriate environmental policies, it is on developed countries to take the lead in addressing environmental degradation issues and assisting developing countries

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Paper provided by Kiel Institute for the World Economy in its series Kiel Working Papers with number 1491.

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Length: 28 pages
Date of creation: Mar 2009
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Handle: RePEc:kie:kieliw:1491

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Related research
Keywords: sustainable development; Pollution Haven Hypothesis; Environmental Kuznets curve; Adjusted Net Saving;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounting

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    Other versions:
  6. Werner Antweiler & Brian R. Copeland & M. Scott Taylor, 2001. "Is Free Trade Good for the Environment?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(4), pages 877-908, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  7. Rauscher, Michael, 1991. "National environmental policies and the effects of economic integration," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 313-329, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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    Other versions:
  13. Cole, Matthew A., 2003. "Development, trade, and the environment: how robust is the Environmental Kuznets Curve?," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(04), pages 557-580, October. [Downloadable!]
  14. Pethig, Rudiger, 1976. "Pollution, welfare, and environmental policy in the theory of Comparative Advantage," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 160-169, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. John C. Driscoll & Aart C. Kraay, 1998. "Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimation With Spatially Dependent Panel Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(4), pages 549-560, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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